HYB:Tweezers and Fingers:Alternatives

In a message dated 5/25/2001 12:47:31 PM Central Daylight Time, 
arilbredbreeder@cs.com writes:

<<  I've found the round picks are more effective and easier to use.  
 It's just more like using a paintroller than a paintbrush. >>

I've found my fingers most effective.  It's hard to forget them <grin> and 
the shape is irrelevant!  It reduces making crosses (for me--not saying 
anyone else has to do it this way) to these easy steps:

    1.  Remove anthers from pollen parent with tweezers.  I find fingers too 
clumsy for this step, but sometimes pop off the bloom and carry it with me.  
Even then, I use tweezers to remove the anthers. 
    2.  Hang numbered tag on pod stalk.  
    3.  Grasp base of anther with tweezers and drag anther between the tips 
of the ring finger and my thumb, with the pollen facing my ring finger.  
    4.  "Roll" pollen into the stigmatic lip of pod parent/blossom.  I do 
pollinate all three, and like to think it adds to the excellent seed count 
that I usually get.  
    5.  Make notes in record book, including which bud was used>to cut down 
on confusion later.  Note all blooms on stalks that were used, and add notes 
if more crosses are made later.  
    6.  Clean hands of any remaining pollen.  I carry a wet cloth to remove 
residual pollen when changing crosses or make a trip to the hose. At one 
time, I carried a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, but now understand that 
water will destroy the grain of pollen and find it simpler.  

    ***If the pollen on the pod parent is extremely fluffy and/or abundant, 
it would be a good idea to remove these anthers "before" making the cross to 
avoid contamination of the cross.  ***

Betty / Bowling Green KY USA Zone 6
Only those who dare to dream can make a dream come true.

 

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